Sandpoint advances to state semifinals with 3-2 win over Pocatello

CALDWELL — It was inevitable.

Sandpoint girls soccer will face rival Bishop Kelly in the semifinals of the 4A state championship after sliding past Pocatello 3-2 Thursday.

The Bulldogs (12-3) had several scoring chances early in the match courtesy of senior forward Emi Lynch and junior forward Jordie Breeden but were unable to convert.

Then in the 32nd minute, Pocatello struck first on a corner kick that found the head of senior Adison Spillet who buried the shot to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.

Pocatello took that advantage into halftime and Sandpoint head coach Conor Baranski admitted he got nervous.

“I was a little worried that it was going to be one of those games where the ball just did not want to go in the net,” he said.

But the Bulldogs flipped the switch in the second half and scored right away in the 41st minute when Breeden found Lynch for a goal to tie it up.

Sandpoint kept up the pressure and Lynch buried her second goal of the game to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead with 29 minutes left in the match.

In the matter of 10 minutes, Sandpoint was able turn the game around in its favor and gain momentum. Baranski was proud of the way his team responded to adversity and took back the match so quickly in the second half.

“You could see that [Pocatello] was shaken by how first we came out in the second half,” he said. “We just made a recommitment that we did not come here to lose our first game and we need everybody that’s on the field and the bench really banding together to give us some success and they did it.”

The Bulldogs continued to ride that increased level of energy and Breeden found the back of the net in the 71st minute to make it 3-1 Sandpoint.

Pocatello scored a late, “silly” goal as Baranski described it to make the final scoreline 3-2 in favor of Sandpoint.

“It all became very unnecessarily stressful at the end,” he said.

Baranski said his team didn’t play their best game and he credits nerves for their slow start.

“But at this point all we need to do is advance so we did enough,” he said.

Now the Bulldogs will face a Bishop Kelly (19-0-1) team who is coming off a 8-0 victory over Bonneville in its opening game of the state tourney to increase its unbeaten streak to 84 games.

Sandpoint has lost to the Knights three straight years in the state title game. Baranski knows his team will have to conquer the mental part of the game against Bishop Kelly.

“My fear is always that my players put them on a pedestal and therefore get intimidated and that’s obviously not the appropriate way to respond competitively but they seem to do it,” he said. “We don’t have any players that have beaten that team so it is a significant thing that we have to overcome. I believe that we can win.”

A trip to the state title game will be at stake 2 p.m. MT Friday at Brothers Park.

First half — 1, Pocatello, Adison Spillet (unknown), 32:00.

Second half — 1, Sandpoint, Emi Lynch (Jordie Breeden), 41:00. 2, Sandpoint, Emi Lynch (Jordie Breeden), 51:00. 3, Sandpoint, Jordie Breeden (unassisted), 71:00. 2, Pocatello, Adison Spillet, 74:00.

Shots on goal — Sandpoint 28, Pocatello 7.

Saves — Sandpoint, Hattie Larson, 5, Pocatello, Seanee Still, 16.